6:00 - 7:00 PM - "American Identity in the Inaugural Address" presented by Steve Klien. The public inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States will take place January 21st.Rock Island Public Library, 401 19th Street, Rock Island, IL

This Week's Message

Welcome back! I hope you had a good break, and as we look ahead to 2013, I hope you were able to take some time for rest, reflection and recharge. Jane and I had a few days with our family that provided opportunity for all three.

Later this month, Augustana's Board will gather for its annual planning meeting, at which I'll submit my goals as president for the coming five years. These objectives are currently in draft form, and I'd like to share them with you at this week's Friday Conversation, in hopes of gaining your input before I finalize the goals.

Clearly, these objectives will touch on our next strategic plan. As we work to bring our vision for what Augustana should look like in 2020, I'd like your thoughts and those of our colleagues across campus about how the President's Goals can best support the planning process. I'm grateful for the leadership of Dean Lawrence and Academic Affairs in convening substantial faculty conversation about the plan, and I see this Friday's Conversation as a good opportunity for us to continue the dialogue.